Fogbees Beginner Rides Start March 15th

We are getting close to the time change which means we will start having some warmer weather along with more time to ride. This past Saturday at the Bikers Choice, I had 6 local people buy new bikes and all of them had an interest in getting involved with a local bike ride once a week so with that in mind, I would like to communicate with the club and get some help in putting on the beginner rides this year.

Firstly, if it is possible, I would really appreciate the Saturday morning ride leaders to contact me before Thursday and tell me where the ride will start(I don't need a route, just a start location and time). I need to get coordination between the regular group and the beginners so they can all start at the same location(so the beginners can meet everyone and feel like they are truly a part of the club). I need to get the notice out before Thursday afternoon so that the beginners can plan ahead. Hopefully by doing this, the beginners will be able to join in for post ride food and meetings.

With the buzz being generated about this upcoming ride year, I suspect we will have record numbers of brand new bike riders in Sumner County and if there were members of the club who would be willing to give a hand leading these rides, it would be greatly appreciated. Last year at the end of the ride season, we were having as many as 20 beginners coming out and it is very difficult to keep a group that large safely together on the road. I wouldn't need people to give up their Saturday ride every week, but if 10 Fogbees volunteered to help, that would be one ride every 10 weeks that you could help these new riders out. Myself or another person from the shop would be available at every one of these rides.

I am really looking forward to 2014 and being back home in Sumner and Robertson County for a full ride season. Let's see if we can expand the club and get a bunch of new riders excited about being Fogbees in 2014!

Newsletter - Next Sunday March 2'nd.

We will issue the monthly FOGBEE Newsletter next Sunday March 2'nd.  If you have an article or an announcement that you want included, please send it Fogbees@gmail.com no later than Saturday March 1'st at noon.  Also, if you live on Indian Lake Peninsula in Hendersonville, look for our monthly Bike 'n Walk Hendersonville article in the Indian Lake Peninsula Living magazine.

FOGBEES and friends turn out in big numbers on a beatuiful February Saturday to ride 39 miles and 32 miles respectfully. The 9:00AM group had 21 riders and the 10AM group showed up with 15 riders. Thanks to Miley for a great route; (he also took credit for the weather).  Just Ride and be safe all!
Woody

FOGBEES RAGBRAI - Last Chance to Register

Thanks to all who are registered to participate in the greatest ride in the world!!  ITS NOT TOO LATE!!  Our registration is open through Saturday Feb. 15.  If you want to go, you must register on the RAGBRAI website with the FOGBEES (follow the instructions on the Ragbrai link on this blog) and have a check for your fees to Doug D by Saturday night.  Call me on my Google Voice at 615-431-9821 if you have questions or need more information.

Touring in Style on the Trek 520 this Spring.

With our club developing an interest in multiple day tour riding, I talked with our Trek rep today about the 2014 Trek 520 which is a steel frame touring bike that has a great reputation and an even better price point at $1430. This bike is a fully designed touring rig made for comfort and ease in handling multiple day riding in all conditions. It comes with a super durable Shimano drive train set up with the tour rider in mind featuring a 48/36/26 chainring combination as well as an 11-32 cassette, making hill climbing that much easier when carrying heavy loads. It also comes with the back rack already installed and has the capabilities of mounting a front rack also.

As all of our blossoming tour riders know, Bruce Day has been riding his Trek 520 for a few years now and I am sure you can ask his opinion on the quality of this bike.

We, at the Bikers Choice are about to put in a Spring order with Trek Bikes next week and we would love to help all our blossoming tour riders get into a bike that is truly built for touring so you have the opportunity to get accustom to the way it rides before you head out on the Spring Tour Ride from the Kentucky State Line down to Ardmore Alabama in late April.

If you have an interest in looking into your first tour bike, you can access information on the TREK 520 here or feel free to contact me at the Bikers Choice Monday through Saturday or shoot me an email at bkortness@comcast.net.

First Charity Event of the Cycling Season is this Sunday

While the Fogbees have been primarily a road bike riding club, I know that there are a few members who venture off roads on their bike riding adventures so I would like to invite the club out for the very first event of 2014 this Sunday. We will be venturing out to Hickman County this Sunday for a gravel extravaganza called Gravel Love Potion #40. This event benefits SORBA(Southern Off Road Bicycle Association) in the purchase of a new trail cutting machine for Middle Tennessee. If you are a mountain biker, this event directly affects you as this machine will be used to expand trails like Lock 4 in Gallatin as well as cut new trails in our area. This ride will feature routes of 26 miles as well as 40 miles with over 85% of the ride on gravel and dirt roads. It will have some tough climbs and a couple of very small water crossings. Registration can be done day of event or online and with your registration you will get beer supplied by Oskar Blues and a hot meal at the end of the ride, a commemorative t-shirt while supplies last, along with the opportunity to win a Salsa El Mariachi 29er mountain bike frame donated by the Bikers Choice.

We currently have 100 riders registered and expect between 125 and 150 riders showing up. If you are interested but would like more information, check out the official event website or feel free to give me a call at the Bikers Choice any day this week at (615)822-2512.

FOGBEE Newsletter

We have just issued the FOGBEE newsletter on Sunday 2/9/14.  If you are a member and don't receive it, send us a note at FOGBEES@gmail.com.  This month's issue is again public and we encourage you to share it with others whom you think might have an interest.

Newsletter and Membership Info

. . We plan to issue the monthly FOGBEE Newsletter this Sunday and if you are planning to submit an announcement or article, I need them no later than Saturday morning.  We go to press that evening. 
. . The newsletter is sent to everyone on our MailChimp registration, which I have updated thanks to everyone's help.  Here is the list of people to be removed.  If you see someone on that list that should remain on our membership list, please have them contact us at fogbees@gmail.com. That list was created from people who no longer open our MailChimp newsletters.  We assume either that we have the wrong email address or that they are no longer interested.
. . Our Private Membership List is available to anyone included on it.  Just login using the account AllFogees@gmail.com and enter the password.  Sorry, if we failed to give you the password when you registered, send us an email at Fogbees@gmail.com and we'll send it to you.  We will have an updated Membership List for everyone to check out by Friday February 7'th.
. . Our newsletter, like our blog,  uses a "responsive" format that makes it smart-phone and tablet friendly.